Rangers defeat Penguins 4-3 without ill Lundqvist

AP, PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania

Thu, Dec 07, 2017 - Page 16

Ondrej Pavelec on Tuesday night stopped 41 shots while filling in for late scratch Henrik Lundqvist to help the New York Rangers to a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Boo Nieves, Jesper Fast, Mats Zuccarello and Pavel Buchnevich scored in support of Pavelec, who drew the spot start because Lundqvist had the flu. Buchnevich provided the game-winner when his centering pass deflected off Pittsburgh’s Kris Letang and by Tristan Jarry 11 minutes, 12 seconds into the third period.

Phil Kessel picked up his team-high 13th goal for the Penguins. Conor Sheary added his ninth and Patric Hornqvist his 11th for Pittsburgh, who saw their season-high four-game winning streak snapped.

Jarry finished with 25 saves, but could only watch the puck smack off Letang’s stick and flutter by to give the Rangers the lead for good.

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was held scoreless as his streak of five straight multipoint games ended.

DEVILS 4, BLUE JACKETS 1

In Columbus, Ohio, Stefan Noesen, Taylor Hall and Jesper Bratt each had a goal and an assist, while Cory Schneider made 41 saves to lift New Jersey over Columbus.

Travis Zajac also scored and rookie Nico Hischier had two assists for the Devils, one of several teams tussling with Columbus for first place in the rugged Metropolitan Division with one-third of the season in the books.

Schneider was outstanding in earning his 100th win with New Jersey during his fifth season with the franchise.

Nick Foligno scored and Sergei Bobrovsky had 32 saves for the Blue Jackets, who lost their second straight. The NHL’s worst power play went zero for six.

LIGHTNING 6, ISLANDERS 2

In Tampa, Florida, Yanni Gourde scored two of Tampa Bay’s three goals late in the second period against New York.

After the Islanders dominated the first 16 minutes of the second, Gourde had a power-play rebound goal at 16 minutes, 22 seconds and then gave Tampa Bay a 4-2 lead 1 minute, 34 seconds later on another rebound effort.

The Lightning’s top-ranked power play extended the advantage to three when Vladislav Namestnikov scored 50 seconds after Gourde’s second of the game.